Mike Trout’s response to Angels fire sale raises serious questions

If the Los Angeles Angels group will be credited for something from the current MLB commerce deadline, it is seeing the writing on the wall and committing to a rebuild somewhat than making an attempt to squeeze any life out of what has been one of many worst groups within the majors all season.

Nonetheless, as a lot as nice entrance places of work needs to be given credit score for making such an admission, nice gamers mustn’t. Bryce Harper, for example, was not shy forward of the deadline about his wishes to see his Philadelphia Phillies make additions, albeit to a crew that was clearly way more aggressive than what may very well be present in Anaheim.

But Mike Trout, the Halos’ star participant and a three-time AL MVP, appears to have fallen proper consistent with interim GM John Mozeliak, resigning himself to the fact of the Angels’ sorry state, and his place inside it, somewhat than dreaming any larger for his crew and even his personal profession.

Mike Trout content material with Angels’ sell-off

Talking with USA Today Sports after the deadline, Trout mirrored on the Angels’ enterprise with a positivity that raises questions in regards to the seriousness of his profitable mentality.

“Clearly, what was occurring the previous couple of years wasn’t working,” Trout admitted. That a lot was clear for all to see.

However somewhat than push for any new items round him — or for that matter request a commerce to a contender, resembling his hometown Phillies, that will demand a monumental haul again to the rebuilding Angels — Trout as an alternative appeared content material with Arjun Nimmala and the opposite new faces within the L.A. farm system.

“In case you look the place the crew is, I believe it is the suitable transfer,” Trout stated of the choice to be sellers.

Trout might determine to retire at the moment, and no person would query his standing as probably the most gifted baseball gamers of his era. However expertise with out profitable is potential, not greatness, and Trout’s response to the occasions of the previous week solid doubt on whether or not he’s actually pursuing the latter or merely content material with the previous.

The middle fielder does have an notorious no-trade clause written into his contract, so the largest, and maybe solely, impediment to a blockbuster Trout deal can be Trout himself. If three MVPs and 12 All-Stars are ok for him, he can relaxation assured figuring out he isn’t at any threat of including a championship ring to his assortment as issues stand.